We may soon be able to pop a pill when we don’t feel like getting off the couch. Swiss researchers have isolated a hormone, erythropoietin, that made mice more active—and could do the same for humans.

Wired magazine reports on Swiss researchers who discovered that they could increase the activity level in mice by elevating their levels of erythropoietin, or epo:

“The discovery raises the possibility of creating a drug that would help people achieve healthier lifestyles and chip away at an epidemic of obesity caused in part by the fact we get half as much exercise as we should. Beyond that, any drugs derived from the research could be used to treat mental illnesses where physical activity is known to improve mood and behavior.”